(DAWES COUNTY)-Shawn M. Watkins made an appearance in Dawes County District Court on Tuesday, February 25th. Judge Travis O’Gorman listened as Dawes County attorney Vance Haug (HOWG) explained that Watkins was facing the possibility of a charge in Nebraska relating to the possession of stolen property, but that he was facing a more extensive charge in the state of Colorado. Haug also explained that Colorado had previously issued a warrant for Watkins’ arrest and is currently seeking extradition. Haug said that in exchange for Watkins waiving his extradition to Colorado, Dawes County would not file any charges on him in the state of Nebraska. Watkins agreed to the arrangement, as did Judge O’Gorman.

Watkins had been attending Chadron State College when the Chadron Police Department was made aware of Watkins’ outstanding warrant and the stolen property from Colorado in his possession. He was arrested, and will be housed in the Dawes County jail until officials from Colorado transport him back. He is facing a charge of second degree burglary in Colorado.

In other district court news, 32-year-old Natachi Burns Prairie appeared once again before Judge O’Gorman with her legal council, public defender Jerrod Jaeger (YAY-gur) for a pre-trial conference. Burns Prairie was scheduled for the conference on Tuesday, February 11th, but had requested a motion for substitute council that day, saying that she didn’t feel that Jaeger was representing her case adequately. After some consideration, O’Gorman had told Burns Prairie that she had a right to council, but not council of her choice when no satisfactory reason had surfaced as to why she wanted different representation. O’Gorman had then rescheduled her pre-trial conference for Tuesday, February 25th, to give her and Jaeger an opportunity to work things out.

At court this week, Jaeger requested another continuance of the pre-trial conference as he and Burns Prairie were still attempting to come to some sort of conclusion with Dawes County attorney Vance Haug. Jaeger said that the terms would require some actions on Burns Prairie’s behalf. At Burns Prairie’s consent, Judge O’Gorman rescheduled her pre-trial conference for Tuesday, March 18th, at 11:00 a.m.

Burns Prairie is facing charges stemming from an incident that occurred last year, which allege that she fought with and threatened her daughter and then allegedly pushed, bit at, and would not cooperate with officers who responded to the scene. The charges include one count of third-degree assault, a class I misdemeanor; one count of disturbing the peace, a class II misdemeanor; and one count of third-degree assault on an officer, a class III-A felony.

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